The invention relates to a rapid action coupling system for simultaneously coupling a fluid inlet chamber and a fluid outlet chamber, formed in the same heat exchanger fluid tank and separated from one another by a partition, to an external circuit, one free edge of which partition is intended to cooperate in a sealed manner with a collector defining the two chambers. The system includes two necks provided on the fluid tank, that is, one inner and one outer neck substantially surrounding the inner neck, the necks defining two fluid passages, respectively an inner and an outer passage, which communicate respectively with the two chambers. The inner neck is joined directly to a planar portion of the partition extending in the longitudinal direction of the fluid tank. A coupling device, cast en bloc or as one piece, is provided with tubular necks arranged to cooperate with the inner and outer necks of the fluid tank, respectively.
Such a system is described in French Patent Application FR-A No. 2579308, corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,658. It is applicable to a heat exchanger, in particular for an automobile, that includes a bank of tubes formed either with U-shaped tubes connecting the two chambers of the fluid tank to one another or with straight tubes divided into two groups, respectively connecting the two chambers to a second fluid tank located opposite the first one. This rapid action coupling replaces conventional systems, which include an inlet coupling piece and an outlet coupling piece protruding in two mutually remote locations of the fluid tank, and onto which flexible or rigid hoses are threaded in separate operations. In the known system, the partition is disposed entirely along the longitudinal direction of the fluid tank, which it consequently divides into laterally disposed chambers. Frequently, though, it is desirable to divide the fluid tank into longitudinally juxtaposed chambers via a partition that extends at least partly transversely.